A combination of gene variants appear to be linked to high cholesterol and heart attack risk and could help doctors to identify patients who need to take cholesterol-lowering action.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine gives details of nine gene variants that are associated with high levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol and low levels of 'good' HDL.
Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital also found that the greater number of these gene variants a person has, the greater their risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
Lead author Dr Sekar Kathiresan said that "the combination of multiple variants related to cholesterol importantly contribute to the genetic risk for heart attack".
"Our data suggest that those individuals classified as higher risk based on a genetic test may deserve more intense pharmacological and lifestyle treatments."
Previous research has suggested that people with high cholesterol may benefit from taking natural plant sterols.
A combination of gene variants appear to be linked to high cholesterol and heart attack risk and could help doctors to identify patients who need to take cholesterol-lowering action.
